Fintech

In the banking world, branches came first and ATMs came later to streamline the experience. But in the Bitcoin world, ATMs came first with limited features, and the ATM makers are working hard to add the sort of services that one might find in a mainstream bank branch.

Throughout Europe and Asia in particular, ATMs are being used to distribute an increasingly wide array of financial and non-financial products and services. This is in sharp contrast to the U.S., where most advanced ATMs offer the same set of banking-related features.

Associated Banc-Corp (ASBC) has acquired $100 million in credit card receivables tied to the Green Bay, Wis., company's customers.

MasterCard Inc. has completed its acquisition of Pinpoint Pty. Ltd., an Australia-based loyalty and rewards service provider.

The telco is offering Payleven's hardware to enable its small-business customers to comply with an Italian mandate to cut back on cash use.

Sweden's Seamless has entered into an agreement with InComm that will enable the Atlanta, Ga.-based company to offer digitized versions of reloadable closed-loop cards.

In SaveUp's first foray into the payments industry, the financial management provider is linking its reward program to PayPal's prepaid MasterCard to attract younger consumers.

Payment Alliance International has a deal with OnPoint Community Credit Union to apply OnPoint's branding to automated teller machines at all 72 Rite Aid pharmacies in Oregon.

Many credit union representatives have said that when times get tough — such as during an economic downturn — the CU's marketing budget is the first to get cut and often the last to be reinstated.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Francisco Bay Area is a "very crowded" market, with "high competition" among the many credit unions, banks and other financial service companies that are here.